She needs me (Keenler)
by Laura Jade Hanrahan
Summary: Ressler is struggling after the Death of Hitchen but Liz needs him more right now and he will do anything to be there for her


She Needs Me (Keenler)

( **Ok guys its my first time writing hope it is ok any comments welcome)**

Ressler wakes with a scream, the same as the night before and the night before that, in fact most nights since that dreaded evening when he murdered Laurel Hitchin.

Once Henry Prescott told him to leave he rushed home to his kitchen cupboard where he found a large bottle of bourbon and before he knew it almost the whole bottle was gone. He knows in his gut he needs to talk to someone about it, he knows he should come clean; it was an accident after all. But he also knows that is not what it would seem like to others, he knows this first hand from watching what Liz had been through when she was running from the Cabal, if they can do that to her, make the evidence so clear that Liz was a terrorist when she was innocent what would they do with him? God how he admired Liz for what she went through, his one regret not helping her when she needed it most, yes he let her escape from the war room but after that it was just ciaos.

He flashes back to the day when he thought she was dead.

"Breaking news Elizabeth Keen dead" the news reporter speaks but he isn't listening all he can see is Liz, his partner, his friend, someone he loved, laying on the floor with dark red blood spilling from her body. In his head he is screaming but on the surface he is pale and numb with a single tear falling done his face. "This can't be" he finally speaks "no, no, she can't be!" he still remembers the relief he felt when Aram and Samar had finally told him what he had longed to hear, that she was alive. He promised himself he would tell her how he felt when the air cleared but no, in swooped Tom and now he is back loving her from a distance.

Now look at him awake at 4am screaming, as pale as a ghost drenched in sweat.

He swears to himself then gets up and has a cold shower, might as well get ready for work.

Sat at his desk he fires up his computer and just stares at the screen until movement from the other side of his office catches his eye.

"Morning Liz, everything ok?" He has been with her long enough to know when something is playing on her mind.

"Morning Ressler, umm yeah ok you?" she doesn't meet his eye when she speaks, Ressler knowing her the way he does knows something is up. "Come on Keen I know you better than that, just come out with it and tell me."

Liz looks up into Ressler's soft eyes and knows he won't give in, she knows he is looking out for her and wants to be there for her.

She takes a deep breath, puts her head in her hands and begins to cry, Ressler is up like a flash and by her side wrapping his arms around her, just holding her until she is ready to speak. "it's Tom, he, I can't, its over!"

"Ok shh its ok just tell me what happened." Ressler strokes her hair, inside his heart flutters as she says it's over but he can't allow his hopes to get up, yet.

Liz calms down pulls out of Ressler's arms, gives a week smile, her way of thanking him for just holding her; she loved the feel of Ressler's arms around her.

"ok, here it goes, Tom has once again been lying to me, and this time it's just unforgivable. Turns out Tom has been working with Mr Kaplan for months, helping her to bring down Red, side-lining you, almost getting us all indicted and to top it off carrying around my mother's corpse."

Ressler sat there shocked yet his eyes were blazing with rage, fist clenched so tight his knuckles are white.

"Ressler no" Liz warns "don't he's not worth it!"

Ressler jumps to his feet, "NOT WORTH IT ARE YOU KIDDING ME!" Ressler shouts then realises where he is and lowers his voice, "Liz what the hell do you mean he is not worth it, I said to you before I would rough him up now I'm not giving you the option to say no, he has hurt you for the last time, I won't stand by any more he is going to get what's coming to him!" and with that he is gone in an instant almost running to the elevator to the sounds of Liz shouting for him to come back, but by the time she reaches him the shutter is down and Ressler is already on his way to Tom Keen.

Liz stands shock still staring at the yellow shutter of the elevator, she cannot believe his reaction, she knew he would be mad but this mad?! She adored how much he cared about her and that she knows he has her best interests at heart, its one of the things she adored about him but it came with a stab of guilt, he is the only one that has consistently been there for her and look at all of what she has put him through over the 4 years they have known each other, it still surprises her to this day what he told her just before her "wedding"

"Liz, I'm sorry but he put his hand on you, in my book there is just no coming back from that."

"I know and I love you for saying that but I kept him in the hole of a ship and tortured him for months, to me we are even"

He looked at her with a sweet smile "I've said my peace; I will be there for you today but just know I care about you and if he hurts you again I can't stand by and just watch."

With a loud ping form the elevator Liz is brought back to the here and now, she rushes into the elevator and pushes the button that will take her to the parking lot.

She runs to her car knowing that Ressler is already on his way to her apartment, searching for Tom.

As he races through traffic all he can picture in his head is Hitchin's body laying still on the carpet, he knows he needs to calm down before he reaches Tom, he is barely thinking clearly with one death on his hands let alone another, he takes a breath and figures out a plan.

Liz pulls up just as Ressler is entering her apartment building, "Ressler wait!" she yells as she runs to catch up with him, he stops a turns just as she comes crashing into him. "don't worry Keen I'm not going to do anything stupid" She looks up and him and holds his head in her hands and stares into his eyes, "hmm with the way you ran out of the office back there I'm not quite sure I believe you but fine I will see where you go with this." Knowing that she won't be able to steer him away from Tom but trusting in what he says, she saw the softening of his eyes as he saw the fear in hers.

As they entered the apartment Liz felt tense but sensed how calm and collected Ressler was, she couldn't understand what had switch had been flipped in his head.

"you have got to be kidding me, really you brought him here Liz?!" Tom laughed

Ressler shot Tom a cocky smile and turned to face Liz, "go pack yourself and Agnes a bag, your coming to stay with me."

Liz stands shock still just staring at Ressler trying to process what he has just said. "What?"

"Like hell are they coming with you! Liz no I'm sorry no! I won't allow it!" Tom shouting at the last part of his sentence, he is just as shocked at Ressler's comment as Liz is, but what's worse for him is it looks like she will agree.

"I couldn't" Liz quietly says to Ressler, her eyes welling up at the thought of him putting himself out there like that for her and all in front of Tom too.

"Liz I am not allowing you to stay here with him, he doesn't deserve you now go and get your things and Agnes you are both staying with me no questions asked and no arguments." Ressler speaks so calmly yet inside his emotions are anything but, he can't quite believe what he has just said but he couldn't be happier, he will protect her, he will love her and comfort her better than Tom ever could and this was his chance to finally prove it. Liz makes her way across the room and leaves Tom staring at Ressler both standing their ground yet she feels Tom will only stay like that until realisation hits that she is actually leaving.

"You can't do this Ressler!" Tom growls

"watch me, she deserves better than this, better than you, all you have done is do wrong by her I won't allow it anymore." Ressler stands his ground, not giving Tom even the slightest opportunity to overpower him, Liz walks through the door Agnes on her hip 2 large bags in her hand, Ressler takes the bags and ushers her out of the apartment.

"NO!" shouts Tom as he starts to run towards Ressler. Ressler drops the bags and turns with lightning speed and punches Tom hard in the jaw and watches as he drops to the floor. He casually picks up the bags and continues to take Liz down to the cars.

After a 20 minute drive they arrive at Ressler's apartment, Ressler jumps out of his car grabs the bags and walks over to where Liz's car, where she is getting Agnes out of her seat.

"Look I'm sorry but I just couldn't . . . "

Liz turns around and stops Ressler in his tracks by planting a soft sweet kiss to his cheek, "don't apologise he got what he deserves, well less than what he deserves but just thank you, are you sure you don't mind this?"

"Liz I wouldn't have it any other way, you and Agnes are welcome here as long as you like."

As Liz is settling Agnes Ressler phones Cooper and explains the situation.

"Ok, yes Agent Ressler, you and Agent Keen take the day we can regroup tomorrow"

Ressler hands Liz a cup of coffee and sits next to her on the sofa, "I honestly can't thank you enough Don, I needed out but I would never expected you to do this for us, for me."

"Liz stop apologising I wouldn't have it any other way, I wouldn't want you anywhere else" he leans forward and plants a kiss on her temple, wandering could this be the start of something new for their relationship, as much as he could hope he had one problem niggling at the back of his mind, his nightmares what would Liz think of him if he wakes up screaming in the night shouting about killing Laurel Hitchin?!


End file.
